A Mountain of Golems
In Jewish folklore, a golem is a creature made of clay and brought to life, primarily as a protector. As with anything from Jewish mythology, there are many different variations and stories about golems. Generally, a golem has the Hebrew word for truth, emet, written across the forehead. Some say that the secret name of god is required to create a golem.
I think golems are popular in literature because they are both scary and helpful, a good complex sidekick to a hero. Books often lead the golem character to play a crucial role in the outcome of the plot. In kidlit, the golems are usually sweet or at least well-meaning, though in some stories the golems can turn evil and require destruction to prevent further damage.
Below are a variety of books with golem characters. Pick one up, but don’t forget to get outt eht playdoh and create your own golem reading companion first. : )
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente and Ana Juan (2011)
I love the series by Valente that begins with this book. It’s all the magic and wonder of Oz and or Phantom Tollbooth with new and inventive spins. September leaves home in Omaha after the Green Wind invites her to Fairyland. The Marquess gives September a quest to retrieve a talisman. With a wyvern companion, she travels through the many complex and interesting neighborhoods of Fairyland. Among the many magical creatures September meets is a golem made of soap.
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (2013)
A historical fantasy set in New York where the main characters are a golem and a jinni (genie) who become friends. The writing is gorgeous, the descriptions are captivating, and the characters believable even in their fantastical beings. Written by a fellow Carleton College alum! Go Carls!
Sweep by Jonathan Auxier (2018)
Sweep is a magical book. It’s historical fantasy about a girl chimney sweep in Victorian London and her soot-golem friend. While educating the reader about the conditions faced by the orphan chimney sweeps of the time, it paints a beautiful picture of the relationship between Nan and the golem. Brooms up! Sweep won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in 2019.
The Book of Secrets by Mat Tonti (2020)
This graphic novel for tweens depicts siblings Rose and Ben discovering a secret book of their grandparents. Said grandparents may be in need of rescue, so the pair read the stories in the book and learn how to defeat evil and save the world, all with the help of a silent golem (or “doughlem”) made of flour — Bubbe’s special recipe.
A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff (2025)
A is trans, a fact that his parents won’t accept. Ironically, the place A gets to spend time with other queer teens is SOSAD, the conversion therapy group his parents drag him to. When Yarrow, a friend from the group, disappears, A tries to find Yarrow and encounters a golem made a trash. The trash golem gives him the ability to see spirits. A and friend Sal run away from home to find their friend and defeat the demons. Some of the allies that A relies on during his quest are a rabbi and her husband. They explain that Judiasm believes all transitions are holy, and this equips A, who is in the process of defining himself, with power to defeat evil.